Six UBC sex attacks the work of a single predator: RCMP

Sgt. Peter Thiessen of the RCMP alongside Louise Cowin, VP Students announces an investigation into six sexual assaults, all likely committed by the same offender on campus at UBC, in Vancouver, October 29, 2013.

Photograph by: Nick Procaylo
, PNG

VANCOUVER - The University of B.C. and RCMP are beefing up security on campus following six sexual assaults believed to have been committed by the same man.

The university added two security guards to each student residence building on Tuesday, and is considering installing security cameras, said UBC vice-president of students Louise Cowin. The university also will step up its walk-home program for female students.

The RCMP is working with the Vancouver Police Department and has multiple resources on the case, including the RCMP bike patrol, the dog squad, forensic artists, and teams specializing in behavioural science, criminal and geographic profiles, and crime analysis.

The security upgrades were announced at a packed news conference hosted on campus by the university and police, during which it was revealed there have been six attacks on campus — three more than previously reported. The attacks occurred on April 19, May 19, Sept. 28, Oct. 13, Oct. 19. The latest was on Sunday at 1:30 a.m.

The attacks have spread fear on campus, especially with three of them on consecutive weekends this month.

In the incident on Oct. 19, the man grabbed the woman from behind, ripping her nylons, punching her in the face and giving her a black eye. It represented an escalation in violence and prompted the RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit to take over the investigation.

“This is very disturbing new information. We are now dealing with six assaults,” said Cowin.

“We want the attacks to stop. We want these crimes solved. This is a stressful time for many people on our campus and in this area of the city. This latest news will add to the anxiety. That fear is understandable but it is also critical to act and act decisively.”

RCMP Sgt. Peter Thiessen didn’t want to discuss in detail Sunday’s early-morning assault, other than to alert the public.

“What’s important is not the particular details,” he said. “What’s important is that the public and the students are aware that there was another assault this weekend.”

Thiessen also renewed the plea for women to watch out for themselves when walking alone on the campus in the evening.

“These attacks seem to be crimes of opportunity, where the suspect is specifically targeting lone females in somewhat secluded areas,” he said. “We want the public to enhance their own personal safety by minimizing or eliminating those opportunities for this assailant to be able to victimize anyone else in our community.”

Thiessen said the attacks all took place in the late evening or very early morning, by a man described as white with a slightly dark or olive skin tone. The suspect is in his mid- to late-20s, 5-foot-8 to 6-foot-2, with a thin build, a longer rounded chin and face, a broad forehead and short dark hair.

“Somebody knows something about somebody who might possibly be that person,” Thiessen said, adding 300 students were interviewed over the weekend, yielding 30 to 40 tips.

UBC president Stephen Toope wrote an open letter to students, urging them to be vigilant and to make informed decisions.

“In the days to come, until the alleged perpetrator is apprehend, I ask you to be extra vigilant,” he wrote. “Make sure you have the information you need to stay safe. The ultimate choice is yours, but the RCMP is advising you not to walk alone after dark. Please look out for each other.”

Cowin said university staff are now pro-actively approaching women walking alone at night, asking if they are aware of the university’s SafeWalk program, which is designed to get students home safely between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. A brochure with safety tips has also been placed in the lobbies of student residences, and counselling services for students have been increased.

“This is not a time to give in to fear,” Cowin said. “This is a time to stand together and support one another.”

Thiessen admitted that policing the UBC campus — with its 48,000 students — is a challenge, even as more investigators and security are added.

“UBC is a city within a city,” he said. “Our resources can’t be everywhere all the time.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the B.C. RCMP major crimes tipline at 778-290-5291 or 1-877-543-4822.

Sgt. Peter Thiessen of the RCMP alongside Louise Cowin, VP Students announces an investigation into six sexual assaults, all likely committed by the same offender on campus at UBC, in Vancouver, October 29, 2013.